The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-08-26
the NATIONS PROGRESS

4 THE NATIONS PROGRESS.
Why . rarsR for Revenue Oniy " GAssll
i He Theoretically Opposed.
In,1S1O the total manufactures in d,
United States of every description
amounted to e120. O0O, 000 OF thi,
sum $40. 600. 600 was in wool. $l4. Co.,
600 in iron. and $1,000. 600 in wood
The manufacturers Of Che country wer,
compelled to meet such ruinous com
petition with Great Britain that I,
seemed as if our infant struggles ID
pay decent prices for labor. and YET
compete in price with English goods in
the open market would prove disas.
trous failure. At the close of the war.
in 1915. the British manufacturers de-
termined to crush their American
rivals. English cheap labor. long ex.
periencc and unlimited capital made il
utterly impracticable for the people Of
the United States to compete with
British manufacturers unless they were
protected by high tariff against the
foreign articles. These facts were well
known abroad, and the result was that
our markets were glutted with for
eign goods. In 1915. from January to
September, the total value of our
imports was SS3.OSO.O73 From DC.
tober, 1915. to October. 1916. they were
nearly doubled. amounting to $685..
1902. 900. Our home manufacturers
were almost helpless. and ruin stared
them in the face. The policy of Great
Britain after the war was the same she
pursued so rigidly when she forbade
the colonies to manufacture a single
article of necessity. In the House OF
Commons Lord Brougham stated in
explicit language tho proposed policy
of that country:
1t Is well worth while to incur loss upon the
first expectations in order by the glut to sfife in
tie cradle those rising manu- dctwres In the United
Sfafes which the war has forced into existence
| contrary to the natural course Of things.
Yet notwithstanding, this was the
golden era for the free trader, and
goods could be bought here at price
as low as in any market in the world,
our people could buy because they
were earning nothing, and from North
to South they petitioned Congress to
protect them from threatened ruin 'by
encouraging and supporting the grow
ing manufactures of the Nation"
The high tariff of 1924 brought I'M
usual prosperity to the Nation. For
eign goods were driven from the coun-
try. Manufactures sprang up all over
the land. The farmer found q market
for his produce. Labor found profit
able employment Mr.. Clay stated
during the existence of this tariff that
property in the United States had
doubled in value. Every reader of his
tory knows that South Carolina re-
belled against the Government The
result was compromise tariff in 1888.
What was the rcsultp The most wide.
spread devastation and ruin. Prop
erty was sold at trifling prices. The
bankruptcy and distress of 1887 will
long be remembered. In Ohio, as late
rs 1912, it was almost impossible to
get money enough to pay taxes. In
Muskingum County q good four-horse
wagon was sold by the sheriff for
$3.50. ten hogs at Ct cents each. two
horses worth $50 or SIS each, for 81
each. two cows at 81 each, and sugar
at $3.50 a barrel. 1t was estimated
that the losses in the United States
from 1887 to 1912 on five articles Of
capital alone reached $751;. OOO. 900.
In 1910 the Wing party elected its
President, and in 1912 Cong passed
the protective tariff bill. 1t was fol-
lowed by a new era of prosperity.
Furnaces were lighted. the music OF
the mill wheels was again heard, labor
everywhere found ready employment,
the farmers rejoiced in profitable
market. Commerce, external and in.
ternal, was rapidly extending its use.
fulness, and the entire country rejoiced
in new and enlarged development and
wealth. In 1916 the Democrats re-
pealcd this tariff.
Almost the same results followed rs
in 1883. Mr.. Casey. in 1e5o. declared
in Congress that 124 blast furnaces in
Pennsylvania were closed by the sher-
if as the result of this tariff repeal.
Mr.. Henry c. Casey. in commenting
upon the ruin caused by the tariff Of
1916, speaks of that year as the
"clo.e of brief period of real pros
peritv."
The first Congress under Lincoln
passed = protective tariff law. Its
splendid results none but fanatic can
question. From 1860 to 1870. capital
increased in manufacturing 10 per
cent In 1860 the total manufactures
of the United States amounted to
81. 019. 600. coo; in 1880. or only twenty
years thereafter, to the sum of S, &c..
OOO. 900. In 1860. there were only 1,510
working iron, and g..
$40 workmen. In 1880 there were
8, $50 establishments and 29S. 962 work.
men. During the same period the
wages of labor more than doubled.
Nor was the farmer forgotten in all
this wonderful development. In 1860.
the corn produced was 8S9. 900. 600
in 1880. $500. OOO, 900 bushels.
In 1860. the production of wheat was
la, DOC, 600 bushels; in 1880. 100000
900 bushels. Of wool exported in
1860. there was 60. 600. 900 pounds; in
1880, 2Sl. 600. 900 pounds. In 1860. the
surplus agricultural products of the
United States sold for $24. 420. 800; in
1870. Tor $4,000, 900; in 1880. for